


In the Name of the King

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: Fireside Tales [45]
Category: 15th Century CE RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, GFY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 17:05:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1122344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No matter what his brother does, he will not regret marrying his wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Name of the King

**Author's Note:**

> Richard of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence, 1442  
> Prompt: Bridge  
> Alternate Universe: Mistress to Queen

He knows his brother will glower and glare - he remembers the terrible row that had happened after Margaret married without the King's permission - but Richard doesn't care. No matter what his brother does, he will not regret marrying his wife. A wife whose name neither he, nor anyone in his expedition, can pronounce, so she's taken the name Mary, the first name he'd mentioned that isn't a man's name.

Mary is a bridge between him and her people, learning English quickly and translating for him and the leader of her tribe. Giving them a chance to learn about this new land they've found, and that Richard has claimed in the name of his brother. Perhaps, even, providing them trade to return with to England, that Richard can use to enrich the coffers of himself and his kin.

Richard hasn't told her yet that he's more than the leader of two ships and a few dozen men, but when they return to England, she'll find out. He will have to explain to her what it means before they arrive, what it means for her, a woman from a world that seems so incredibly simple by comparison to his own. What it will mean to become a royal duchess, with only Queen Catherine, and Edward's wife Duchess Elizabeth, more powerful than she.

Well, and perhaps too his cousin York's duchess, Cecily, but York isn't as close kin as are his brothers. Richard doesn't worry as much about the reception of Duchess Cecily to his Mary as he does that of the Queen and of Duchess Elizabeth. Or his own sisters, no matter that Margaret no longer lives in England, and Elizabeth is content in her vocation.

**Author's Note:**

> In this, the king of England is also the King of France, and he is Robert I, eldest son of Henry V and Blanche Stretton. Robert has two brothers and three sisters who made it to adulthood - Margaret, Duchess of Monmouth and Queen of Scots; Edward, Duke of Lancaster; Joan, Duchess of Bourbon (died 1438 giving birth to her only child); Richard, Duke of Clarence; and Elizabeth, an abbess. When Richard wanted to take an expedition to chase the tales of a few Icelandic men who'd arrived at their aunt Philippa's court in Sweden, Robert wasn't certain, but with the aid of their cousin the Duke of York, Richard got his way. In the long run, Robert does not regret his brother's impetuosity.
> 
> Also, I am aware that I should actually find a suitable name for Richard's wife, but I have not yet found a resource with sufficient selection of names of the sort I'm looking for, so for now, she has only the English name Richard can pronounce. She will have a name that's not imposed from the outside at some point.


End file.
